When Silva is out and the $77 million star is benched, how can Chelsea defeat Nottingham Forest with four undroppables?
News about Chelsea: The Blues hope to continue their recent success versus Bournemouth in their final two home games of the season.
It's not much of an accomplishment for a team that was the reigning global and European champions a year ago that Chelsea has finally avoided relegation. What it does mean is that there are no longer any questions regarding safety, so emphasis can turn to the upcoming season.
Last weekend's match against Bournemouth saw a team that was reflective of this choice by Frank Lampard. It was a side that, on average, was over three years younger than the one that fell to Arsenal 3-1 just a few days prior, and it possessed a significant amount of attacking pace and midfield energy.
It's a step in the right direction, but there are still things that need to be done to continue regaining the pride that has been damaged by a series of record-breakingly poor performances. On Saturday, the Blues will face Nottingham Forest, a team that still has everything to play for.
As for Chelsea, the season isn't over yet. Before the season can be tossed into the trash and forgotten forever, they still have to deal with away visits to Manchester City and Manchester United as well as a match against Newcastle at Stamford Bridge. The only realistic prospect of experiencing success for the remainder of the season is with Steve Cooper's desperate Reds.
With that stated, Forest are currently just one point short of 34, which might be enough to pull themselves out of the bottom three. Even if the home fans don't perceive any danger, they will bring a spirit of perseverance to Stamford Bridge.
It is Lampard's penultimate game in his role as temporary head coach, and he will want to go out with a bang after a difficult month or so in that role. Here, football.london analyses Chelsea's strategies for defeating its rivals.
for the victory, wide wingers
Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke were on the flanks when Chelsea opened the game against Arsenal, similar to how they did at the end of their victory against Arsenal. Success was achieved by the pair, who were acting as conventional but slightly dated wingers.
When the rest of the squad plays with restraints, they have provided added flare while also showing some rawness below. They represent the club's future, and following a fire sale of colleagues during the summer, they may very well find themselves as the first-line strikers for the upcoming season.
The last time around, this worked and provided more flexibility, speed, and continuity than the alternatives. Both of these items are immediately essential.
reliability in form
Despite the fact that top coaches have excelled at switching between a back four and a back three, Chelsea have occasionally been too nimble. Multiple personnel and tactical changes would be made to Graham Potter's team virtually every minute of a game. Consistency wasn't easy to come by with such a large group.
Against Brentford and Real Madrid, Lampard tried to establish his identity with high-intensity, ultra-pressing systems, but against Bournemouth, he strayed from that. It may be necessary for this young group to maintain the same structure and method in order for them to begin developing mutually.
Clark Hall
It's not too challenging to figure out this one. Lewis Hall's joining the England Under-20 team was rejected by Chelsea, and if he won't see any action on the pitch, there is little use in doing so. After playing for Potter during the winter, Lampard hasn't employed the teenager.
During that time, he was also among the more effective performers. In light of Ben Chilwell's recent setbacks with his health and the fact that he has nothing left to lose, as well as Marc Cucurella's ongoing troubles, Hall must see some action and playing time over the course of the next four games. The fixtures are scary, as was already indicated, and now is the greatest time to experience them. He must play immediately.
Benoit Badiashile is another player who, like Hall, has only earned his spot for the upcoming tests and might be reunited with Wesley Fofana after scoring his first goal while wearing the colours of Chelsea. Putting together the club's future backline carries little risk, despite the fact that Thiago Silva is a freak of nature.
